The Truth Bears Repeating

Demanding wasn't the right word. But the man on the other end of the phone was pushy. He wanted me to take action now. And, truth be told, I needed to think about it.

Listen, he said in a big, authoritative voice, if you think you can find something better, you probably can't.

No, I began, I said I need to think about it and-

I'LL SAY THIS - his voice rose when he interrupted me and dropped when he had regained the floor - there are things you don't understand here. I've been doing this for years; I know about this.

The guy, I knew, would drag the conversation on and on, it was how he wore people down. Years ago, this might have worked on me. But when I was living in D.C., a friend - a brilliant and bighearted woman - had taught me how to hold my ground:

No matter how much they push and prod you, she said, just keep repeating your truth.

So, while this guy threw new ammunition at me - you need to be decisive! - I kept giving him my old truth: Thanks, I need to think about it. Thanks, I need to think about it.